Countdown to Completion
by Miaka Mouse
Summary: a story about equal and opposite reactions.. and how it can all still end in an explosion a short 1xR one-shot.. complete fluff


NOTES: I wrote this in response to a prompt in the 31_days LJ comm. It's a couple years old but I realized I never posted it here, so I thought I'd share. Enjoy!

Title: **Countdown to Completion**  
Theme: kissing number

The first touch was a mere brushing of fingers, or more specifically, the second knuckle of his right pinky sliding across the entire length of her left one as they walked side by side up the steps of the Senate House. It was enough to send a soft blush creeping into her cheeks and to stop him in his tracks at the top of the stairs. The rest of her entourage seemed to fade away as he just stared at her the way people on the street sometimes did when trying to place her. _I know you from somewhere..._

~~~~~

The first **deliberate** touch was actually a surprise to her and most likely a necessity to him. He had grabbed her hand to guide her through the throng of reporters after a particularly controversial press conference. Her bodyguards had done this in the past, of course, but their hands had always landed on the back of her wrist. Heero's fingers, however, were wrapped around the inside of her palm so that she could feel his calluses catch against the fleshy pad right below her index finger, while his thumb curled around her knuckles. In that gesture was a vow of protection stronger than any that had ever left his lips.

~~~~~

She returned the gesture later that day, before her speech to the Senate. As she moved to the opening in the curtains behind the stage, she found his hand and wrapped hers around it much like he had done earlier. Whether the firm squeeze she gave it was to reassure him or herself, she didn't really know, but the way he looked at her afterward made that point moot. They had an understanding.

That understanding led to a series of encouraging glances and brief touches of support, which never actually led to anything except for a strange feeling of dissatisfaction. His hand on the small of her back after a particularly frustrating day gave her some comfort, and she would often lean her head against his shoulder on the drive back to let him know so. But it never seemed to be enough for either of them; there was something missing.

~~~~~

The news of Pagan's death was a shock to both of them. Relena knew of course that her driver/guardian was getting along in years but in her whole life, he had been the one constant. Fathers had come and gone but Pagan was always there...until now. Heero always thought the man was in good health for his age and almost suspected foul play. A private inquiry into the coroner's report allayed those suspicions quickly but there was nothing similar to ease Relena's grief. The day of the funeral she was almost too calm; numb perhaps. As they walked back to the car after the service, Heero finally took her in his arms. The embrace was tight and almost suffocating but it released in her all the emotions she had been holding back that day. She sobbed into his chest as he stroked her hair with one hand and held her to him with the other. Her arms stayed by her sides until he whispered softly into her hair.

"I'll never leave you."

~~~~~

He left her later that year. He had refused to go at first, until Lady Une had insisted that he was the only one qualified for the mission. Relena was not so selfish that she would sacrifice the security of the colonies for her own interests. She urged him to go, and made him promise to come back in one piece. The news of a violent skirmish on L1 came a week after. He returned a week after that. She met him at the spaceport, tears bursting from her eyes at the sight of him walking on the tarmac towards her. Though there was a bandage on his right hand, he was whole, he was alive. She ran to him without any thought to her high heels, which sent her tumbling into his arms. She was laughing in his embrace this time; her cheek against his neck, her arms wrapped around his waist. When she looked up, he was smiling too.

~~~~~

Heero decided soon after to fill the space Pagan had left as Relena's driver. It had become too much of a hassle to security check every possible applicant in addition to testing their evasive driving skills, especially when he knew he was already qualified for the job. It gave him an odd sense of satisfaction to know he was the first one to see her every morning and the last to see her every night. This morning, however, she was running late. He had decided to make her coffee to speed up her schedule, and waited at the door with it. She smiled at him apologetically when she finally arrived, ready to go, but her eyes brightened at the sight of the coffee, slightly steaming, in his hand. She took the cup from his hand and leaned toward him to plant a kiss at the corner of his mouth.

"You're a life saver!"

It wasn't until the car door slammed behind him that his hand left the oddly tingling spot at the edge of his lips.

~~~

That night, after he drove her home, he walked her to the door and returned the blow. The corner of her lips shifted against his in surprise, backfiring in a way to leave both of them dazed this time. Equal and opposite reaction, indeed.

~~~~~

The New Years' Eve celebration wasn't so much a party as a pre-cursor to the candidate nominations that would be announced the following week. Heero was on security detail, of course, though there had been some hinting on Relena's part that she wouldn't mind if he had decided to forego that role for this event, and take on a different one. There had been a strange sort of tension crackling between them these past few weeks, and he wasn't sure exactly what to do about it. Distance seemed the best option until he figured that out.

What he hadn't taken into account were the New Years' traditions. The extravagant costumes, the never-ending champagne and, how could he forget, the obligatory kiss at midnight. It was 11:58 before he realized that everyone seemed to be partnering up in preparation. Couples that had separated during the party were crossing the grand ballroom, weaving through the crowd to get to their counterparts in time. Heero suddenly realized that someone else might be kissing Relena that night, and every gesture that he'd shared with her counting down to this moment would be meaningless. So he ran like a man on a mission (not exactly a new thing for him, though the mission definitely was) and found her in the center of the ballroom.

10...9...8...

The New Year was seconds away, but he had her by the hand, fingertips curled around her palm as he tugged her forward and into his arms. One hand gripped her waist as he tilted her chin up with the other.

3...2...

Their eyes searched each other's so deeply it was almost tactile. The missing puzzle piece finally snapped into place. He leaned down into her.

...1...

Their lips met in a deafening crash. Her mouth was soft and open and it fit his like they'd been created in a matching set. He couldn't distinguish the roaring in his ears from the crowd around him shouting in celebration.


End file.
